Let me preface this entry by reminding you that I have done a great deal of research to make sure I am doing this in a healthy way. I am not on some radical diet to lose weight fast, I have decided on a juicing and exercise plan that is completely safe to help me break through this plateau.

Now, on to the good stuff! Woo Hoo! I love this feeling! I started my day with a glass of water and then out the door for my two mile walk/run. It was an awesome way to start a Monday! For breakfast, I juiced 2 peaches and 2 small pears. Yummmmyy! It was so good! Later in the day, I juiced 1/4 of a cantaloupe with 2 small pears and it was just as amazing! (I have some pears that I need to use up lol) This afternoon, I was on the go a lot so I had a V-8 around 4ish and then another V-8 this evening. (I did have an unsweetened tea this afternoon because I had a caffeine headache.) I am surprized but I really haven’t been hungry. I was planning to have another juice this evening, but I didn’t want anything. I have stayed very busy and I have tons of energy. In fact, after I got the kids to bed, I did my Monday strength training workout. Some of you have asked what kind of work out I do for strength training, so I decided to share the details of my regimen this week. So, here goes!

My early life was unstable, to say the least. Because my mother died when I was two years old, and my address changed quite often, I spent a lot of time confused and angry. Outwardly, I think many people thought I was a fairly happy kid… until I attempted to take my own life as a teenager. You see, I could mask my pain with laughter, but inside… I was hurting. I asked many times… “Why me, God? Why did MY mom have to go away? Why couldn’t I have the loving family life that I saw in the homes of my friends? Isn’t there someone…anyone?…..out there who could love me unconditionally?” Out of my desperation and sadness I would ask….Why me, God? Why did you give THIS life to me?

When I was that troubled teenager in the hospital after trying to take my life, a very special person gave a card to me with the verse Romans 8:28 on it. Because the numbers were 8:28….my birthday, I clung to these words…..

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, those who are the called according to His purpose.”

I didn’t understand it at the time. It sure did not feel as if anything was “working for good.” Little did I know…. I was among “the called according to His purpose!”

Today is my 37th birthday. This evening my fiancé and his family threw a surprise birthday party for me! All of my friends did an awesome job of keeping the secret! I walked in and could not believe it when I saw my family and friends….even my pastor was there! The birthday music started playing and I felt so much love and gratitude in my heart.

And again, I ask… Why me, God? What did I ever do to deserve THIS life?Why did you choose to give ME this unbelievably amazing and incredibly happy life? You have blessed me beyond measure! If I could have only seen then, as a mixed up kid, what you had planned for me! The family I never had as a child… I now have as a mother. The example of love between a man and a woman that I did not witness…. I now feel in my heart for my fiancé. The supportive family and deep lifelong friendships that I have, make my life so full. Some of the struggles and experiences I have faced have been challenging, but my God has blessed me abundantly and has worked it all
together for good….unbelievably good!

Have you ever used your kids as an excuse for your unhealthy eating habits? I can think back to many occasions that we made stops because …..”the kids are hungry, so we need to stop at McDonald’s….. The kids need a drink, so let’s go to Sonic….” Whatever “the kids” need, right? Wrong. It was usually whatever I wanted that directed our outings. I was also one of those parents who would say things like “I can’t cook healthier meals, the kids won’t eat that stuff!” Wow, now I can’t believe I used those excuses for so many years.

Let me tell you why…..

My kids have been going through these gradual healthy lifestyle changes with me and I am amazed! As I have shared recently, I am realizing how much they follow my lead when it comes to food choices. As I have continued to make healthy changes, so have they and I love it! Last night, we made pizza from scratch. We’re talking homemade dough and homemade pizza sauce. It was so fun and they loved it! It was piled with veggies, so other than the cheese, it was basically a vegan meal. Then, this morning before school, I made Apple Spice muffins with fresh apple juice and the pulp from using my new juicer. Again, they loved it!

There was a time when you could not make me believe that my children would ever eat these types of foods. Yet as they have witnessed changes in me, they too are making healthy changes! Amazing!

So now, what can I blame on my kids? I can blame them for motivating me to want to live healthier! I can blame them for giving me a reason every day to stay on track and to eat clean and move! I can blame them for showing me love and for inspiring me to be my best so that I can teach them better choices! What an honor and a blessing!

Thank you Father God for loving our family enough to lead us to better health!

So by now you guys have probably figured out that I get bored pretty easily…lol I am one of those people that can’t sit idle for too long. Same goes for my weight loss. I feel stuck. I have been bouncing around the 170’s for weeks now and I’m frustrated. I have seen as low as 173, as high as 179 and yesterday I was 176. Up and down….up and down… So the way I see it, I need a jolt to my routine. I need something to give me that extra boost and help me move on to the next decade– the 160’s…. Lol

Since my family blessed me with my new awesome juicer, I have been experimenting with different juices and doing a lot of research. I have read about many different types of juice fasts and I like what I am finding. There are some incredible stories of health problems that disappear. Juicing is a form of “treatment” used all over the world and it is fascinating to see the reported benefits. There are some who have done 40 day, 30 day, and 21 day juice fasts. I do not feel led at this time to do something that extreme. However… here is what I have decided…. Starting Monday, I am going to jumpstart my weight loss again with a 5 day juice fast. I am going to choose Monday through Friday so that it will be easier since I stay pretty busy. I am going to spend some time this weekend preparing for the week ahead. I will report daily what I am juicing, what I am learning, and hopefully my successes =)

What about you? Do you feel like you’re in a rut? Do you think that a kick start, with the support of friends, would be helpful? Maybe you do not feel inclined to juice, but you know yourself and you know there is probably something you can do to power up your journey. Think about it and let me know. With God as our guide, Let’s spend 5 days together and turn a corner on our road to better health!

I want to share a conversation with you that I had with a good friend this past week. It was very encouraging and I hope it inspires you! I am so excited! This makes FOUR people that have committed to the run in January! Yay!!!

Congratulations on the 12s! I would never in a million years thought that you and I WERE the same size. I would have guessed you were a 10 or 12 when we met. I wonder if I have such a distorted image of myself. I don’t wonder I know I do. Even when I was down to an eight almost 5 years ago I felt fat. And know what I wouldn’t give to even be a 10. I started running and no sugar for the millionth time after my last message to you and as always I failed. I walk/ran 30 min today and prayed
almost continuously. I’m so sick and tired of feeling like poop and not having anything to wear. I caught myself in a mirror at kohls today and didn’t even recognize myself. I never even look in the mirror anymore :(. I want to run with you but I’m so scared to say it cause everytime I do, I fail…. I hope you had an amazing time at the wedding! I know you looked amazing!
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Thank you for your kind words… you are such a sweetheart!

First of all, I just gotta tell you that you can’t say things like that! You can’t say that “every time I do, I fail.” Trust me, I know exactly how you feel… I have spent years
feeling the same way. But our attitudes play a huge part in any successes we have. If you can look at those past failed attempts as just that…. PAST…. then you are in a good place! You will be taking a huge step!

I don’t know how much of my blog you have read, but if you go back to February when it all began, you will see that this journey started out pretty dark. I was feeling so defeated and I assure you, the enemy was having a party with my thoughts.

Because of what I have learned over the past few months…This is how I now see it…. Satan knows that I am not tempted to steal, cheat or murder…. but he knows that I have an unhealthy emotional connection to food. So because his goal is to destroy… he uses what he can. Food was meant to be a blessing…and it is… but the enemy takes what God meant for good… and uses it against us.

The real transformation for me has been realizing that I don’t have to fight this battle alone. The other day I had a great conversation with a woman who said to me “ya
know, I pray about everything, but I have never considered praying that God help me deal with my weight issues”…. yeah sure, we all send up those “PLEASE HELP ME GOD” kind of prayers…lol but I had never really genuinely asked for God’s guidance in finding out WHY I do this to myself and then asking for HIS strength to heal from it….until February, that is =)

Please keep in mind, I speak with no authority, I am simply a woman who is asking God to be my Guide in every area of my life… and weight is a struggle… so I am asking, He is answering and I am sharing my story.

I want you to know that I am praying for you! I feel your words so deeply. As I continually state on my blog… I have not “arrived” but man… I know there is a difference in my spirit…. because God is faithful… even when I’m not…. Better yet… especially when I’m not!

Love you girl!

P.S. Pray about the run! Seriously, I would love to do an accountability thing together if you want… Our wedding is just a few weeks away and it’s crunch time!!! Literally!!! LOL
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You are so right! Positive, Positive, Positive! I know that! I feel like I’m always complaining to you! I promise that it not my normal attitude, lol!

Okay, it is on my calendar and I am so excited! It’s a done deal – I know I can do it – I’ve done it before – and it felt so good!

You Rock Charli – Thank you for always being there! You are going to look and feel amazing on your wedding day!

I love you and thank you so much for the prayers!!

…and no, I didn’t start reading the blog until around June – I’ve got some catching up to do!
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I am so blessed! I would have never dreamed my journey would encourage others. My readers are so precious to me and I pray for you guys continually!

You know that fancy smancy power juicer that you see on TV? I wanted one so bad and my sweet and wonderful family got it for me for my birthday! I am so excited! I absolutely love it! It is much easier to clean than the little Wal-Mart one that I bought a few years ago, so I use it more since there is less hassle. But that’s not even the cool part! The best thing about having my new juicer, is that I can make amazingly yummy healthy treats for my family!

I have read many times that the mother of the household sets the tone for the lifestyle of the family. Talk about pressure!!! I have come to realize, this is very true. My children have followed my examples… both the good ones and unfortunately, the bad ones too. When I am making healthier choices, my kids get excited and follow suite. And… when I am laying on the couch watching TV while mindlessly eating a bag of chips…. they do that too.

So I have been trying to be aware of their little eyes and what they see….and make sure it is what I want to pass down. With that in mind, I just have to share with you that my morning has started off wonderful! Before school, I juiced some apples, carrots and strawberries…. It tasted amazing, but the best part was when my son asked….”Hey mom, can we have this every morning?”

Absolutely! I am honored to pass on a new legacy! Just like you, there are no limits to my love for my children and I want the very best for them. Thank you Father God for being the perfect parenting model!

Two hours ago, I was upset. I was extremely frustrated and set out for a walk/run to vent. As I started my walk, I was grumbling and complaining to God. “Why is this so hard?” “Why couldn’t I have been born with good genes, a high metabolism and a dislike for sugar and fried food?” “Why me, God!?!?”

I had my iPod with me but I was too frustrated to even turn it on. However, as I continued down the road huffing and puffing, there was a goofy song hat I couldn’t get out of my head….

“….it’s a love story…. baby just say yes….”

A love story, huh? Is that what this is, God? If so, I am not feeling the “happily ever after.”

As the road continued, my wondering did too…. I started thinking about classic loves stories. I am a huge fan of Western Literature and I loved studying classics such as Jane Eyre, Hamlet, Homer’s Odyssey and yes… Romeo and Juliet. I have actually visited the famous balcony in Verona where Juliet awaits as Romeo proclaims his love for her. A tragic and triumphant love story.

I’m sure the endorphins helped my thinking, but I began to compare this journey to a love story. Could it be, that like all classic love stories, my journey will have it’s share of tragedy and triumph?

The tragedy comes when I am consumed with discouragement, when I am overtaken by defeat and begin to feel depressed. The triumph comes in the very fact that God doesn’t leave me there. I have way more days that I feel triumphant with my small victories than days that I feel defeated. In fact, in the midst of my frustration this morning, I started looking for something to wear to my friends wedding tonight. I decided on an adorable skirt that I have never worn before. It’s a size 12. A few short months ago, my size 16’s and 18’s were tight and today I will wear a skirt that is a size 12 — and it’s not elastic! LOL We’re talking about an actual zipper! LOL

So yeah, I guess I could call this journey a love story. And this chapter… well, I think I can refer to this part as the Triumphant Chapter 12!!!